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Funniest Book Ever: Literary Junk Food

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Does anyone enjoy reading books that make you laugh a lot? Sometimes I like to read novels that are just funny, fast, and entertaining. I'll call it a my literary junk food category. However, I'm interested in the subset "comical, humorous" which might include novels such as The Fuck Up by Arthur Nersesian or The Comedy Writer by Peter Farrelly, just as the subset "horror" might include a number of Stephen King novels.

Thus, for the Category: "Literary Junk Food/Comical" what is your number one pick?

Love the quote, although what is the real truth behind the humor? Nobody has banned a book in decades not because nobody gives a damn, but because kids don't give a damn. That is, we rate movies, and even music, (and used to ban books) to keep inappropriate content out of the hands of minors. We still rate movies and music for this reason, but we no longer ban books because kids don't read. They can have all the smut and violence they want if they're willing to read to get it. Parents aren't worried.

Thanks for the recommendation. Will check Sand's book out, has good reviews.

Apathy is certainly up there on the funny scale. Story-wise, it didn't do much for me, but entertaining nonetheless. Most of the funniest I've read were nonfiction, like George Carlin's books, maybe Chuck Klosterman. As for novels, I remember laughing at lot at Christopher Moore's A Dirty Job. Lamb as well.

I... didn't really care for Rico Slade. I feel weird saying that because there is a 100% chance the author of it will read this. Sorry! Most people here who read it seemed to lose their shit over it. I understand. It was RICO FUCKING SLADE. Just wasn't for me.

The funniest book I ever read was The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams and everything that comes after it. No contest.

Other funny books... Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris... Bossypants by Tina Fey... maybe Cat's Cradle by Vonnegut (everything he writes is funny but I don't know if it's really considered comedy)... Candide by Voltaire... those are all pretty random and if you like one, you might not like any of the others. But that's all the funny I had on my shelf.

... we no longer ban books because kids don't read. They can have all the smut and violence they want if they're willing to read to get it. Parents aren't worried.

Are you a parent of any kids old enough to read books worthy of being banned?

I'll ask that as an honest question. No really.

You have no fucking idea how much one worries unless you are.

Finding literature that is 1)Enriching 2)Challenging 3)Interesting 4)Age Appropriate in the sense of knowing ones own kid as an individual and what they can take and absorb 5)Are you still bothering with this list 6) 'Nobody has banned a book in decades' quote isn't clever anymore 7)something else 8)that other thing too 9)blah

You are correct,G. That is, many books are challenged every year, and many are banned locally, but few nationally. And then banning varies greatly from book to book. Some books are banned in local school district libraries while few are banned from local community libraries and even fewer from libraries nation wide. However, people still do challenge books all the time. The American Library Association tracks challenges and bans from across the country. Here are a few recent challenges you may find interesting, G:

Haddon, Mark
The Curious Incident of the Dog
in the Night-time
Doubleday
Removed from the Lake Fenton, Mich. summer
reading program (2010) after parents complained
about its “foul language.” The book is about an
autistic child who investigates the death of
a neighborhood dog. It was a joint winner of the
2004 Boeke Prize and won the 2003 Whitbread
Book of the Year award.
Source: Sept. 2010, p. 200.

Moore, Patrick
Tweaked: A Crystal Meth Memoir
Kensington Books
Removed from the North Middlesex, Mass.
Regional High School (2010) because the book
contains “’F’ words and instructions on how to
make certain types of illegal drugs.”
Source: Nov. 2010, p. 243.

I... didn't really care for Rico Slade. I feel weird saying that because there is a 100% chance the author of it will read this. Sorry! Most people here who read it seemed to lose their shit over it. I understand. It was RICO FUCKING SLADE. Just wasn't for me.

The funniest book I ever read was The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams and everything that comes after it. No contest.

Other funny books... Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris... Bossypants by Tina Fey... maybe Cat's Cradle by Vonnegut (everything he writes is funny but I don't know if it's really considered comedy)... Candide by Voltaire... those are all pretty random and if you like one, you might not like any of the others. But that's all the funny I had on my shelf.

Apathy is certainly up there on the funny scale. Story-wise, it didn't do much for me, but entertaining nonetheless. Most of the funniest I've read were nonfiction, like George Carlin's books, maybe Chuck Klosterman. As for novels, I remember laughing at lot at Christopher Moore's A Dirty Job. Lamb as well.

Love George Carlin (I've never read anything by him though, thanks!), don't know Klosterman will ck him out. Heard of Moore, but have never read anything by him. Thanks!

... we no longer ban books because kids don't read. They can have all the smut and violence they want if they're willing to read to get it. Parents aren't worried.

Are you a parent of any kids old enough to read books worthy of being banned?

I'll ask that as an honest question. No really.

You have no fucking idea how much one worries unless you are.

Finding literature that is 1)Enriching 2)Challenging 3)Interesting 4)Age Appropriate in the sense of knowing ones own kid as an individual and what they can take and absorb 5)Are you still bothering with this list 6) 'Nobody has banned a book in decades' quote isn't clever anymore 7)something else 8)that other thing too 9)blah

I know what you mean. I am a parent and I also worry. I've also suffered from anxiety for years, but keep it under control via regular exercise and therapy. I'm also a reading teacher and spend many hours finding appropriate "good fit" books based on lexile, reading level, personal interest, and curriculum. Sorry if the pessimistic generalization derived from trying to sell so many poor families on reading offended you. However, most of my third graders already watch R rated movies with their parents, know way too much profanity, and have experienced guns, drugs, and violence to varying degrees. Finding literature that appeals to their interests is challenging. However, the hard truth remains, that they are already allowed to read and watch whatever they want. I just want them to read, read, read, and learn to do it for enjoyment so they will continue to do it all the time. When I can get students to start reading for personal enjoyment, they can improve several grade levels within a matter of months. It can be truly amazing to see.

I... didn't really care for Rico Slade. I feel weird saying that because there is a 100% chance the author of it will read this. Sorry! Most people here who read it seemed to lose their shit over it. I understand. It was RICO FUCKING SLADE. Just wasn't for me.

I'm pretty sure Bradley understands - and is okay with - his magnum opuses not being everyone's cup of Neurogasm.

Real Ultimate Power, yes! I forgot about that one because I don't own it, just borrowed it from Caleb. Sheer awesomesauce. It's written in like a 12-year-old's voice and his spazzy enthusiasm for all things ninja (vaguely Napoleon Dynamite-ish), and is populated with footnotes by his nemesis babysitter who's trying to reel him in.

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